Boatmade Dog Treats

When in the house, I became a bit of a crazy couponer (especially when it came to dog treats). Coupons would substantially bring down the cost of dog treats - you know, a staple in our household. Aboard, there is not an abundance of space to keep stockpiles of groceries (and dog treats), so we've gone back to buying a box at a time.

Yet, I realized that we likely had the ingredients aboard to make easy treats so one Saturday I gave them a try. Success! I found an easy dog treat recipe with a basic Google search, and I learned that making treats aboard not only makes my dog happy and saves money, but it also uses up some of the staples we always have - flour, for one.

No room to keep a rolling pin aboard so I use a wine bottle.

Pizza cutter helps make nice square treats. I'd like to get a bone cookie cutter for next time.

I sprinkled chicken bullion power on top of the biscuits, for a special additional taste. 

Entire recipe filled above canister with treats. An abundance for a little bit of time and money. 

Recently, I've noticed that our dog comes into the galley when I'm washing dishes or cooking dinner. He just stands there, so I'll ask him, "Do you want a cookie?" He sits down, I grab one homemade treat for him, and then he goes back to the couch. So, recipe is pooch tested and approved!

He likes it!

Basic Dog Biscuits

From Caesar Milan 

Ingredients
• 2 ½ cups whole wheat flour 
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tsp. Beef or chicken Bouillon granules (can substitute beef or chicken broth/stock)
• ½ cup hot water


Optional Add ins
• Bacon or chicken broth, eggs, oats, liver powder, wheat germ, shredded cheese, bacon bits

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Dissolve bouillon in hot water
3. Add remaining ingredients
4. Knead dough until it forms a ball (approximately 3 minutes)
5. Roll dough until ½ inch thick
6. Cut into slices or bone shapes
7. Place dough pieces on lightly greased cookie sheet
8. Cook for 30 minutes

Recipe: Scrambled Eggs

I have cooked scrambled eggs for years. Yet, it wasn't until I finally purchased the Boat Galley's Cookbook, that I learned that adding a bit of baking powder to the egg mix creates a fluffy, wonderful breakfast. Not sure if you knew this, and if not, here's my adaptation of the Boat Galley's reccomended scrambled eggs. (Which are captain-approved.)

Scrambled Eggs for One
Adapted from The Boat Galley Cookbook

1 egg + 2 egg whites
1 tbsp cold water
A pinch of baking powder
salt
pepper
teaspoon of cooking oil
Optional: toppings (see below)

1. Whisk together all above ingredients in a bowl.

2. If using optional cheese, add cheese into egg mixture.

3. Add the oil to a cooking pan on the stove, and over medium heat allow oil to warm.

4. Once a few drops of water "dance" in the oil, add in any optional meat or add-ins that you like and cook for a few minutes.

5. Add to the pan the egg mixture, and stir regularly - moving around the cooked egg and what still needs to be cooked.

6. When all egg mixture is fluffy and cooked, serve hot.


Optional add-ins that we enjoy:

• Ham and cheese (any cheese is good with ham)
• Ham, sundried tomatoes and feta cheese

Recipe: Easy Pancakes

My husband loves breakfast, and he loves pancakes. I found a great and easy recipe for pancakes that were super easy to make aboard, and with a couple tweaks, the Captain gave breakfast a thumbs-up.

Easy Pancakes – makes 4servings

Adapted from All Recipes

1 cup flour

2 tbsp white sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk (I use almond milk)

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp cinnamon

1. Whisk together all dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the mix, and pour in the wet ingredients.

2. Whisk all together very well, until smooth.

3. Heat griddle or cooking pan over medium heat with a little bit of butter (or cooking spray) and use 1/4 cup to scoop out pancake mix. Place on griddle or pan and let cook until tops are bubbly.

4. Flip and continue to cook until done. Serve with butter, syrup, and maybe some fresh spring fruit.

5. Enjoy!

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Recipe: Avocado Feta Salsa

Good friend's birthday + warm and breezy evening = sundown hangout on the boat.

While the chicken, green beans, and risotto was cooking in the galley, we snacked on a first-time recipe: Avocado Feta Salsa. I never would have thought to try feta cheese along with salsa, but it was great. The below recipe is my adaptation (I love avocado and lime, so I added those), and the only picture I was able to take was one that proves how much it was enjoyed. This will be a spring and summer boat snack many times in the future. Give it a try : )

Avocado Feta Salsa adapted from All Recipes


Ingredients:

1 pint of grape tomatoes, all cut in half

2 ripe avocados, cut into chunks

1 lime, juiced

¼ cup chopped red onion

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tbsp. parsley

1 ½ tbsp. cilantro

1 ½  tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 oz crumbled feta cheese

Directions:

1.       Juice one lime and place into bowl. Add chopped red onion and let sit while you prepare other ingredients.

2.       In a bowl, place tomatoes, garlic, parsley, cilantro, vinegar, and vinegar. Gently mix.

3.       Add red onion and lime juice. Gently mix.

4.       Add avocado and feta cheese. Gently mix.

5.       Serve with tortilla or pita chips. Add more cilantro or vinegar for more zip.



Weekend of Good Food and Friends

This weekend was a big one. Lots to do, many people to see, and much fun to be had.

Our marina, picture taken by my hubby.

Sadly, Friday began with a funeral for a close family friend. An Air Force veteran, life-long farmer, past community leader, and dedicated husband and father - his farewell was impressive and so honorable. We are blessed to call his family our friends, and being able to be there to talk and laugh and ease some of the hurt, I am grateful for that.

Saturday was a wedding celebration for another set of close friends, who are set to marry in May. A couples' shower it was and the food, desserts, and company was wonderful. Late into Saturday night there were laughs (and dancing!) - so much excitement for the big day to come.



Pastry plates from our local pasty shop - Yum!

 And, Sunday, after sleeping in (and wearing off all of the fun had the night before) we ended up back at the party house for oysters (caught fresh by a local young man) and party leftovers. Living in the country has many benefits, but one especially is the kindness of our neighbors. The young man mentioned is a favorite person of ours. In the winter, he calls us to share his extra venison and in the warmer months, oysters are plenty.  Trying to set a price with him is difficult. On the phone, my husband said, "We'll give you $40," to which the young man replied, "Ah, how about $10?" My husband laughed, telling him that he is negotiating the wrong way. At the pickup we gave him $30 and he took it only because I told him that he should use it to take his new girlfriend to the movies. This young man would give us an abundant amount of food and services without ever thinking to ask to be paid - his kindness is incredibly generous. One example of the values that still do exist in families and it warms my heart.

So, food! On Sunday we had oysters baked with onion, cheese, bacon... and then all the leftovers from the party. I did make the majority of the food for the shower at the host's house earlier in the day; however, these all can be made aboard. The food is easy and so tasty - honestly, on Sunday, the food tasted better.

Skinny Shrimp Salsa is by Gina at Skinny Taste. This salsa is easy and fresh and is a perfect companion to tortilla chips. On Sunday, we warmed corn tortillas, filled them with leftover salsa and topped with some sharp cheddar cheese. Yum!

My 5th loaf of bread using the WryGrass recipe - So good.

To go with the chili, I made three loaves of the Easiest Bread You'll Ever Make, which was posted by Candice over at Wry Grass. So good - I'm always wanting to make bread but I trip up in the process (not sure what I do wrong). My fears were conquered with this recipe - you simply use flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and then mix with 12 oz of any beer. Bake for 40 minutes and enjoy. Each of the three loaves that I made were made with varying beers; the different tastes were unique and enjoyable.

Another appetizer was Alouette's Spinach and Artichoke Crab Dip. For this, using soft spinach and artichoke cheese with the crab makes for a sweet dip. A bit thin, I think using fat-free milk is what caused the lack of thickness; but, warmed up the following day, broiled with some sharp cheddar on top, it was wonderful. A really good dip (just use the full boar milk when you try it).

Thankful for a great weekend with family and friends; in light of the passing of a close friend, we are even more thankful for the days we continue to have with our friends and family, the liveaboard life that we so enjoy each day, and for the health that enables us to do all that we do. Now, as I sit and down multiple cups of chai tea to get ready for a new week, I hope that anyone reading this has a wonderful week and may you each capture the blessings that each day brings to you.

Recipe: Quiche

In the past, breakfast of champions was store-bought pie crust, ham steak cut into cubes, swiss cheese, and eggs: quiche! Aboard, it was a quick meal and tasty. Yet it wasn't healthy, and some of the ingredients were difficult to store for later use.

This week, a friend at work shared a recipe for a quiche that has homemade crust and is packed with veggies. It takes a bit longer to make, but the result was amazing. Our liveaboard crew tried it last night and all approved. What I like (other than it's amazing taste) is that I can keep some of the ingredients aboard (almond flour, grapeseed oil) and make the quiche when veggies are plenty and then just buy the eggs. It's going to be a great meatless meal staple for us.

I picked up a few of the unique ingredients at our local healthy food store and then the rest during my normal grocery shopping.  Making this dish was more time consuming than our quick quiches of the past but,] the outcome was great. It was one meatless meal in a long time that my husband didn't say, "This would be much better with meat."

Pie Crust

1 cup almond flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 tbl minced scallions

¼ cup grapeseed oil

1 tbl water

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, and scallions. In a medium bowl, whisk together grapeseed oil and water. Stir wet ingredients into almond flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Press dough into a 9 ½ in pie pan. Bake for 12-15 min, until golden brown.

Quiche Filling

2 tbl grapeseed oil

1/2 medium onion, sliced

2 cups greens (I used chopped spinach, but you could also use broccoli)

2 clove garlics, thinly sliced

¼ cup chopped sundried tomatoes

1/4 cup chopped artichoke hearts

2 large eggs + 4 egg whites, whisked

3 oz goat cheese

½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Heat grapeseed oil in large skillet. Saute onion for 8-10 min. Add all other veggies and sauté for 15-20 min. In a large bowl, combine eggs, cheese, and salt. Stir in veggies then pour mixture in to crust. Bake for 30-35 min. Serves 6.

UPDATE: Thrilled that WryGrass loved this quiche as much as I did. Check out her adapations for this recipe here.